Question for those that have gone to the dark side.

[tlrbandit]

I am 40 years old and have owned my 1995 KX 500 since new.  The only real modifications made were revalved and resprung suspension.  I had a bit of an accident on it last year that involved some injuries, but I am now ready to start riding again.  My 500 has seen desert races, motocross races and has been the best play bike I could ask for.  It's a first kick (okay, maybe 2 kicks when cold), never fouled a plug dirt bike that I have loved.  Now that I able to start riding again I find that I am really liking the new KX450F and/or the CRF450r.  Here is what I am struggling with and my question to those riders that have crossed over to the four stroke world.  Is it a good change?  Are the four strokes good enough to replace the KX500?  I don't have any experience riding the new four strokes so I don't really know what they are like.  I know my 500 is faster because I have raced them.  I am more concerned with the quality of power and especially the newer designed chassis.  Depending on feedback before I either buy a new bike or dump a bunch of money into my 500.  Thanks in advance for your help.

[k5abuser]

the new 4 strokes are better and i will take a hit and give you $25.00 dollars for your old kx 500 . will you pay shiping to me . 

[tlrbandit]

Nice. 

That's a pretty nice 1st offer though.  I may have to consider it.

[stewart]

ill go 50.00

[The Flyin Hawaiian]

I tried it a few years ago and bought a slightly used YZ426. I didnt come off of a 500, I came off of a 02 YZ250 2s. I ride enduros and harescrambles and just could not get that 426 to work for me. I felt that it would work better in the open stuff or on a MX track than in the tight woods. It wasnt overpowered, it had little lowend and you had to stay on top of the clutch to keep it from flaming out. I know the new 4s are quite abit better and Im not trying to discourage you. If you can, try and ride one first, I havent ridden any of the new 450s except for a 07 KTM 450EXC, which I could not stand. I guess Im just a 2s guy at heart.

[tlrbandit]

I'm feeling the love here.  And they said this was a freindly place to be.  lol's 

I'm a patient person, so I'll just keep hanging out until the offers or thoughts become a little more insightful. 

[BDI]

Now I'm sure Im going to catch some crap from some one for this but this is my OPINION.You can't go wrong with a new kx450 or crf450. These bikes share the same showa suspension and is arguably the best stock suspension to ever come on any perduction dirt bike ever and is probably better then a lot of after market suspension from the past.I know for a fact that the crf450 makes every bit as much power as a stock cr500 and from what I have read the kx450 makes more. the four strokes make good broad power very much like the kx500. These bikes are high maintenance and expensive to rebuild you have to change the oil often and stay on top of valve adjustments if you have one of these bikes you are better off learning how to do this for yourself. With that being said, one of the new four strokes will probably be the funnest bike to ride you have ever owned. I am 34 and I have a crf450x and I love it, it has a pipe and cam and runs right there with the r-model I will launch big knarly jumps on It that most people will just sit and watch and then I will role up and throw It on the kick stand.I ride it all over, from town to town you can say. I can fill up at any gas station and I don't have to carry any oil with me, it's a bar hopper with knobbies. My bike has electric start and when I go riding I always get the jealous F-U look when I hit the button. If you trail ride for the love of riding you should concider the KX450R or the CRF450X these bikes are built for true off road duty they have bigger radiators,more oil capacity,larger fuel tanks and 18" rear wheels. I have not ben left behind do to my kick stand or electric start yet infact I usually lead the ride no matter what any one else is riding.      What do you say Bob?

[stewart]

i was kidding ....i do think the new 4 strokes run fine but the epa has forced the hand of the bike companys,, the are in such a high state of tune to make power that  there expinsive to repiar and miantian..

[BDI]

I tried it a few years ago and bought a slightly used YZ426. I didnt come off of a 500, I came off of a 02 YZ250 2s. I ride enduros and harescrambles and just could not get that 426 to work for me.

 I'm not trying to talk crap but the YZ426 Is the worst bike I have ever had the misfortune of riding. I had a polaris predator 500 and I swapped with my buddy for about five hundred feet before I wanted my quad back and I hate quads.  I spent an hour chasing mister Yamaha lover all over the desert trying to get my quad back.  It was not that I could not catch him he just would not stop, he had no interest in trading back.  That bike handeled like crap and engine braked so hard that it would try to throw you over the handle bars when you let out of the throttle.  It forced you to stay on the gas in the turns even when you needed to let out of it. That bike is a pore example of a modern four stroke.  Sorry

[The Flyin Hawaiian]

At the time that I bought it, winter 03, it was the only open Yamaha 4s with a 5 speed gearbox. I didnt want the WR and the YZ450 was a 4 speed. I was riding for a local Yamaha dealer at the time. It was traded in with low hours and it was cheap. I thought I would try it out instead of paying for a new bike and possibly not liking it. Good thing because I didnt like it! I agree with pretty much everything you said about it! This past summer I bought a new DRZ400S for dualsporting around. I wanted it because of the ease of getting a plate, its pretty tough getting a plate for a offroad bike in Jersey. Its not a modern 450 by any stretch of the imagination but its sure a hell of alot more fun to ride than my old 426. Im much faster on it in the tight stuff, thats pretty much all I ride. Im possibly considering a KX/KLX450 in a few years, Im still keeping the 250 2s though!

[The Flyin Hawaiian]

Ive had the dreaded cough and stall more than a few times in the tight. Just about threw me over the bars also!

[Hillclimb#42]

I definately agree about the suspensions. They are the newest technology going. The absolute best ergonomics. You can spend alot of money on the ol' 500 suspension and it would be hard to equal the plush ride of the new bikes. Also the 4 strokes have a great bottom end and really hook up on even the greasiest muddy conditions. That being said, they are very, very expensive to maintain and upgrade the engines. Before you buy a 4 stroke, look through an aftermarket parts catologue for heads, pipes, cams and valves. If that doesn't bother you, then maybe it would be worth looking into one. Then you have the kx 5 into a 250 or 450 mod. Its the cake and eat it too deal. There's alot of pro's and cons to it all, but its back to personal preference. New bikes are easier to find replacement parts, colored plastics, graphics or whatever seems hard to find for the ol' 2 strokes. 4 strokes used to be hard to start, but they are getting better all the time. (Especially, with electric start options) If money was not an issue, and did not have much bearing on which bike to ride, I would definately say the kx 500 motor on a new 450 chasis would be the "cream de la cream." Again BDI and Stewart pretty much covered the question, but I like adding to the convo.

[tlrbandit]

Thanks for the input.  I have updated the sportbike side of my stable every couple of years and the new bikes are just amazing  My new 2007 GSXR 1000 is light years ahead of my 2000 R1 and a pretty big leap in front of my old 2004 GSXR 1000.  I figured a new dirtbike that was 13 years newer in development has to be better at everything, right?  I'm not worried about the maintenance side of things as I can handle that.  I just want to know that if I buy a new 450 that it will be more fun and just as capable as my KX 500.

[Hillclimb#42]

Oh yeah, they can hang. A new one will have no wore out bearings or seals and all that jazz. They use formula 1 technology and the best part, they don't need 2-stoke oil. I think they are even better on the mpg's. I hate to sound so pro to the 4 strokes because I really enjoy my k5, but its obviuosly going to keep up. I like to look at it that the newest '08 you can buy (probably 8 grand), isn't going to blow my $2500 '97 k5 away. Really it only makes sense that new is better. Most of the flaws are over with. Its back to the old saying "Speed costs money, son. How fast do you want to go?" It sounds like you are ready to go pretty fast, so I do't think you could go wrong with a new 450. My priorities and wants are often over ridden with price tags. I again, am proud to ride a k5, in the state that it is in, and think its very cool to have this kind of power that I can afford and understand to maintain. Go get one, but don't sell the k5 for the $50, I'll go $55......

[The Flyin Hawaiian]

Ill trade you a YZ426 for it!